News

Despite HUD stating recently that its policies have not changed in regards to the FHA backing mortgages for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, it appears that the opposite is actually the case. Or at least that’s how the mortgage lending industry is reacting. A new HousingWire investigation has uncovered lender bulletins or guidelines from a dozen different lenders each stating that Dreamers are not eligible for FHA financing.

Zillow is testing a mobile app that enables users to tour a house for sale without the need for agent or an appointment. The app puts the control in the hands of the consumer, and it's part of Zillow's continued effort to make headway in the iBuying space. Tour it Now provides users directions to the property, unlocks the doors when they arrive, and allows them the opportunity to tour the house on their own time.

Don Layton’s time as CEO of Freddie Mac will officially end this summer, the government-sponsored enterprise announced Thursday morning. Layton has led Freddie Mac since 2012, but the GSE announced last year that Layton would be retiring at some point in the second half of 2019. And Thursday, the GSE revealed exactly when Layton’s run as CEO will end, and who will replace him.

Digital real estate disrupter Opendoor has landed yet another massive cash infusion, raising $300 million in a recent investment round and bringing its total equity capital to $1.3 billion. Now, the company – which aims to change the way Americans buy and sell homes by whittling the process down to a few simple online transactions – is valued at $3.8 billion.

Facebook may have announced massive changes to its advertising practices surrounding housing, lending, and employment ads, but that doesn’t mean that the government is done pursuing its claims that the social media giant enabled housing discrimination with its previous ad policies.

It’s almost spring homebuying season, and new data from the National Association of Realtors indicates Americans are ready to purchase homes. According to the group's Q1 HOME survey, 37% of Americans strongly believe now is a good time to buy a home.

Spring is just around the corner, and the housing market is gearing up for a hot home buying season. And while data suggest many Americans are likely to purchase homes, a recent survey from Trulia indicates a significant number of current homeowners will choose to remodel their homes instead.

Social selling is one of those buzzwords that everyone seems to be talking about these days, but few truly understand what it is. When it comes down to it, social selling is about building relationships. Here is a list of core elements you must master to learn the art of social selling, and a blueprint to using this technique to build your business.

Home sales will stabilize this year, with a solid labor market and strong household formations driving demand, Fannie Mae's Economic and Strategic Research Group stated in its March outlook. But while slowing home price appreciation and lower mortgage rates have improved affordability, it will continue to be a challenge in 2019.

Homeownership investment company Point just landed a major cash infusion that will fund its plans to help more Americans access their home equity, raising $100 million in platform capital and securing $22 million in a Series B funding round. "We are witnessing the emergence of a whole new class of financial solution that is aligned with homeowners, and investors are taking notice," said Point Co-Founder and CEO Eddie Lim.

Septic systems or sewer systems: what's better? What's the difference? Homeowners flush their toilets, run their sinks and take showers without putting a second thought into the sewer systems that allow for this luxury.
All of these functions rely on one of two things:
1. Sewer system
2. Septic system
Sewer systems are different than a septic system because one relies on the local government, while the other relies on the homeowner.
Why Many Homeowners Rely on Sewer Systems
A sewer system requires no maintenance, but you'll need to pay monthly fees for using the system. Local governments allow the homeowner to hook up the local sewer system, which will ensure all of your waste is gone forever.
You'll pay monthly, but you never have to w...

Some of us are DIYers and some of us need to smash our thumb with a hammer a few times or fall off a ladder and sprain our ankle to realize that we’re…just…not. But just because we clearly shouldn’t try to take down a wall or install a floor or even put together a bookcase by ourselves doesn’t mean we can’t have some personal influence over our space. Let’s start with the walls.
Yes, you can scour the internet for abstract art in every color, shape, and size, and you’ll pay a pretty penny for a lot of it. Or, you can D-I-Y your A-R-T. It’s easier than you think to create something that looks like you dropped some serious cash to dress up your walls, and you might even have a good t...

Thinking of painting your own kitchen cabinets? You can find dozens—hundreds even—of tutorials and tip lists to show you how. They’ll list out the supplies needed and show you the proper techniques for the best outcome. And many of them even get real about just how intensive and interminable the process can be.
Preparation is key when painting your cabinets, and the number of steps you’ll need to follow to achieve a quality finish can seem impossible. You’ll want to remove the doors, drawer fronts, and hardware. Fill in any holes and smooth out any gouges. Degrease, sand, vacuum, wipe, sand some more, vacuum some more, wipe some more. And maybe then you’ll finally be ready for priming—but not pa...

With home equity lines of credit now accounting for 11.3 per cent of total household credit, there’s fear that consumers are taking on too much debt and are overly optimistic about being able to repay the loans.
A recent survey found that many consumers don’t understand how home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) work and are at risk of over borrowing.
The survey, by the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, says most survey respondents scored less than 50 per cent on a knowledge test of HELOCs, and that more than 25 per cent of those who have the loans made interest-only payments on them. Although 62 per cent of these people said they intend to pay off their loans within five years, FCAC says that’s overly optimistic. Mor...

Question: I live in a high-rise condo I purchased a few years ago. A month after I moved in, I learned why the former owner was eager to sell and took my first (low) offer. The neighbor with whom I share a common wall smokes marijuana. Every time he lights up, he fills my unit and the common hallway with the pungent smell.
The first year I lived here it only happened once or twice a month. But about two years ago his use increased to a few times a week. I covered all vents and ducts and purchased two very expensive air purifiers - which had very little effect. At that point I knocked on my neighbor's door and tried to have a conversation with him about it, explaining that his marijuana stench seeps into my unit, as well as the common ha...

A new study from Homes.com took a look at the state of homeownership in the LGBTQ community. The “LGBT Real Estate Report 2018-19: A View of LGBT Homeownership Trends and Economic Impact,” shows that, “significantly more LGBT clients are expecting to increase their real estate holdings either by moving into bigger homes or purchasing a second home (41% and 27% respectively), compared to only 20% expecting to downsize in the near future.” The survey curated responses from nearly 500 real estate and mortgage professionals.
The survey also focused on housing discrimination among the LGBTQ community, noting that, “Federal law and the Fair Housing Act do not yet include protections for LGBTQ clients.” Alth...

Insurance rates—how are they even calculated? It can be complicated, but it all comes down to an algorithm that takes many variables into account. If keeping your rates as low possible is your number one concern, you need to know about these five factors that can affect your bottom line.
1. The age and condition of your house.
This is one of the most obvious factors and also one of the biggest. The age of your house and the wiring, pipes, roof, lumber, square footage, and even how many corners it has all play a role in the price of your insurance.
It comes down to the risk associated with the house and the costs that come with repair or replacement. For example, if your home was built in 1920, it may have old pipes and wiring that...

Rain gutters are an inconspicuous but necessary building component that homeowner associations deal with. Their need to perform consistently triggers ongoing maintenance and repair to themselves, exterior paint, siding, roofs and trees. Failure to keep the gutter system running smoothly causes overflows, water intrusion, interior damage, structural dryrot and enormously expensive repairs. There is a lot riding on this often ignored building component.
Until the late 19th century virtually all rain gutters were made of wood. With the advent of metal roll forming machines around 1900, the ability to create metal gutters became possible. The roll forming process shapes long coils of flat metal into long, formed sections of gutters in a var...

Whether you plan to stay in your home for years or put it on the market soon, there are dozens of ways to increase your home's value. Upgrading the kitchen, adding decks, and making the living area more spacious add to the value of your home by thousands and bring enjoyment for you at the same time. For example, imagine having your own inground pool. If you haven't checked inground pool pricing, you may be surprised to find you can afford it.There are other smaller ways to increase your home's value. One important way is by increasing curb appeal. What does your home look like to a passerby? Following are 10 ideas for increasing your home's curb appeal.
1. Spruce Up the Front Door
Your home's front door is like a welcoming smile. Make...

Question. Recently, we have received a number of promotional letters indicating that we can win anything from a sizable amount of cash to a color television if we schedule an appointment to consider the purchase of a time-sharing condominium unit.
While we are willing to spend the time to see this presentation and maybe win a prize, we do not know enough about the time-sharing concept. What advice can you give us?
Answer. If you have the time -- and perhaps the patience -- to put up with the sales presentation, it certainly pays to make the appointment. However, you should look long and hard before you commit yourself to purchasing any kind of time-sharing condominium unit. If you do want to buy into a time-sharing arrangement, you shou...

Staging not only results in a quicker sale but also tends to increase the home’s value too, according to the newly released 2019 Profile of Home Staging report conducted by the National Association of REALTORS®.